Article feeding apparatus



June 16, 1936.v E M, MARCHAND 2,044,394

ARTICLE FEEDING APPARATUS Filed June 11, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 INVENTOR:

Euc; ENE M; IMRCI-LAND,

H15 ATTO RNEYQ June 16, 1936. E M, MAR HAND 2,044,394

ARTICLE FEEDING APPARATUS Filed June 11, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 64 n, a W M E 56 1 52 1 8O 50m 58 74 x K l 78 76 INVENTOR; I EUGENEM.MA12C1L4ND,

HIS ATTORNEY June 16, 1936. E. M. MARCHAND ARTICLE FEEDING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 11, 1932 1 Milk/30L] i INVEIT 0R EUGENE M MARCHAND,

HIS ATTORNEY Patented June 16, 1936 when PATENT OFFICE ARTICLE FEEDING APPARATUS Eugene M. Marchaml,

Bristol, Conn., assignor,

by mesne assignments, to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application June 11, 1932, Serial No. 616,678

13 Claims.

This invention relates to article feeding apparatus and comprises all of the features of novelty herein disclosed. An object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus for feeding or handling articles in connection with a machine for treating the articles, especially when the articles are to be passed through the machine a plurality of times. Another object is to provide improved apparatus for handling or feeding articles in a manner to avoid marring or nicking and with minimum exertion and attention by the operator. Another object is to provide a feeding apparatus which does not interfere with or obscure the operation of the connected machine and leaves the articles constantly accessible and visible to the operator for inspection. Still another object is to provide an improved hopper or bin. Another object is to provide improved conveyors or chutes for conducting articles from one point to another. Yet another object is to provide an improved apparatus for passing articles repeatedly through a centerless grinding machine. To these ends and also to improve generally upon apparatus of this character, the invention consists in the various matters hereinafter described and claimed. In its broader aspects, the invention is not necessarily limited to the specific apparatus selected for illustrative purposes in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus as applied to a centerless grinding machine.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a rotary hopper or bin.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a modification, taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of an auxiliary chute or conveyor.

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line '88 of Fig. '7.

The feeding apparatus is shown in connection with a centerless grinding machine in which the articles are rings or sleeves to be externally ground in a series of passes through the machine but this is merely illustrative of a preferred use. The numeral Ill indicates a frame on which a grinding wheel 12 and a regulating 55 wheel 14 are rotatably mounted, the usual worksupporting rails or guides l6 conducting the work-pieces W to the grinding throat. A bar I8 supports the usual loading slide 20 which is urged towards the grinding wheels by a cable 22 provided with a weight. Several of the workpieces W are placed from time to time by the operator on the rails l6 between the rods 24 which carry pivoted dogs 26 so that a retraction of the slide 20 will allow the dogs to engage the last piece in a series so that, upon a subsequent advance of the slide, the work-pieces will be urged in a stream towards grinding position.

As the work-pieces pass between the wheels, they roll laterally one-by-one down an inclined chute 30 supported by forks 32 and 34' adjustably secured by set-screws in hollow standards 36. The chute 30 is curved and carries a pivot pin 40 for a chute 42 which can be elevated, as indicated in broken lines, to enable the operator to walk into a position next to the loading slide 20. The chute 42 is normally supported in gently inclined position by a fork 44 adjustably secured to a hollow standard 46. The chute is curved and its delivery end passes over and just clears the rim of a hopper or bin 50 which is mounted for rotation adjacent to the entrance end of the work guides IS.

The hopper or bin 50 has a hub or sleeve 52 closed at the top by a cap 54, suitable ball bearings 56 being interposed between the hub and a vertical post 58 which is clamped by a set screw in a hollow standard 60 on a base plate 62. The base plate also supports a tank 64 with a drain pipe fitting 66 for collecting grinding compound which may find its way with the work-pieces into the hopper or bin. The bin 50 has a bottom wall H! and is divided into a number of compartments by radial partitions 12. In each compartment is a vertically movable pan or tray 14 having radial side walls, an arcuate outer wall 16, and ashort wall section 18 connecting the radial walls. Each tray has a bottom wall 8|] inclined downwardly towards the center of the hopper and provided with a drain opening 82 leading to the interior of a hollow plunger or guide sleeve 84 which is welded to the bottom wall and projects downwardly into the tank 64. Each tray also has a pair of downwardly projecting guide sleeves 86 which lie outside of the tank. All of the sleeves have tapered lower ends to facilitate passage through flanges or end caps 81 at the lower ends of guide casings 88 which are welded to the bottom wall 10 of the bin.

Coil springs 90 interposed between the end caps 81 and the bottom of each tray elevate the tray when empty, as indicated at the left of Fig. 3, and hence articles coming from the delivery end of the chute 42 drop through a small distance only. As the tray fills, it gradually lowers under the weight of the articles until it occupies the lowest position .indicated at theright of Fig. 3. During the filling operation, the incoming articles drop first upon the elevated tray bottom and then upon the preceding articles in the descending tray and so have onlyasmalldistance to fall. This avoids marring or nicking of the articles. While one tray isbeing filled, another tray is being gradually emptied by 'the operator and the resulting decrease in weight of articles allows the coil springs to elevate the tray. Hence the operator never has to reach-very far to get the articles for insertion in the loading slide 26. When a tray has been emptied, the operatoriturnslthe hopperjorxbin manually aportion of arevolution tobring. a full .tray. toemptying position and the previously emptiedztray to filling position.

Tohold the bin :50 from undesired-rotation, a brake shoe 92 onaplunger=594is urged'against the'ibottom. of the bin by arcoil spring 95. .The plunger slides in "a hollowcasing 98 secured toia standard 99 and :may be .treadle-operated :if desired to release the ,brake.

:Figs.'=4 and 35 illustratesa irictionibrake :for application totthe postr58. This brake comprises a series of friction washers I06 keyed to the-post and alternating with larger washers I02 which looselyzsurround thepost and have their outer peripheries 'notched'iat I03to. interlock with the casings 88 on the bin. abutment'washer I64 is-secured to the"post:58:and. another washer I 66 is slida-blymounted on: the postand urged .upwardlyxby a coilcspring-sflw tocreatethebraking pressure betweenthe friction washers.

It is desirable to-have the: binrSIl low enoughlto cast no shadows .orotherwise obscurethe work ,in the grinding machine-on other work-treatingzapparatus. .The bin also-should beihighenough to make'the work-pieceseasily accessible for-transfer to the work-treating apparatus. {Therealso should be some difference in levelgbetween the top of the bin-andthe-piece as'itwcomesiromthe grinding wheels so that the piece-willreadi-lyroll 'by-grav-ity. Toget'the advantages'of a small difference in "level without liability "of the 'pieces failing toxroll', Izdesirably provide,-in some rcases, an auxiliary work-lifting:chute section which may beinterposed:at-any-desired point in the main chute or placedbetween the ohute-42 and the This device comprises outer side 'walls -l24 and inc-lined bottom sections I26'and' I 28rspacedapart attheir rounded eends BIIaandarrar-rged. at. .different. levels. Each sectionnis notchedas .at L32 to admit curved lifting fingers I-34 onia rotary transferer or spider I36 whosehub is keyed-toa .driveshaft I31 projecting .from'a housing I38.

The housing contains speed reducing gearing driveniroma variable speedmotor I 40 supported tby.a..platform.l42 on apost. I44. A casing or guard I46-welded.to the. bottom sections. I26 and I28 encloses the .lowerpart of the spider and collects any drippingliquid which can be drained at theplug I48. v

The side walls I 24 desirably have false side walls or adjustable liners I 50 to adapt the device for "articles of f-different sizes. Screws I52, threaded in-nuts welded'to the'walls I24, abut against the liners to" force them towards one another to narrow the chute. Studs I54 are fixed to the liners and project through the walls I24 while coil springs I56 are interposed between the walls I24 and nuts on the studs to urge the liners outwardly against the screws I52. Each liner has its uphill end bent laterally and lapped by a guide plate I58 which has aportion bent through a slot ISOin thesside wallrand attached to the outer surface of the latter. A chute I62 (which may be a part of chute 30 or of chute 42) has its "delivery end entered between the walls I24 in a position toregister with the guide plates I 58. As the work-pieces roll down the bottom section I26, the fingers I34 will elevate them one-by-one and deliver-them atria higher level to the bottom section I28 'from which they will roll with added impetus to another chute section or directly to the .bin 50. Anygrinding compound dropping from the work at the leading position is collected in a drip pan I64 and conducted to a tank ingthezbaseof:the:machine.

I:claim:

11. 5In a .machine 'havinga. guidefor presenting work-pieces tthereto, a bin adjacent to the guide, means for. conducting treated work-pieces J from the machinelto the bin, and means for elevating the work-pieces :in the bin; substantially as described.

2. Ina machinehaving a guidezforpresenting workspieces thereto, a'bin mounted for turning movement. adjacent to the guide, a plurality of trays in-the bin, means 'for elevating the trays, and means for conducting treated work-pieces from the machine to the :trays; substantially as described. 7

?3. In a machine having :a guide for presenting work-pieces thereto,-a bin mounted-for rotation adjacent'to theguide, aplurality'of-trays in the bin, springs acting to'liftpthe trays and means for conducting treated work-pieces from the machine to the trays in succession; substantially as described.

4. In a machine'havinga guide for presenting work-pieces thereto, a bin mounted for rotation and having its rim terminating adjacent'to and lower "than the guide, a chute receiving workpieces from the machine and incliningdownwardly towards the rim, a plurality of trays in-the bin, and-springs acting to elevate the trays; substantially as described.

5.'In a'machine having a-guide for presenting work-pieces thereto, a bin near the entrance end oftheguide, a chutefor conducting treated workpieces from the machine and inclining-downwardly to the bin, anda work -lifting section in the chute; substantially as described.

6. In a machine having aguide for: presenting work-pieces thereto, a bin ;near the entrance end of the guide, a chute for conducting treated work-pieces *from the machine "and inclining downwardlyrtothe bin, and a rotary member in the chute. and having work-lifting fingers; 'subfor elevating work pieces in the container to a point adjacent to the guide; substantially as described.

8. In a centerless grinding machine having wheelsforming a 'grindingthroat and. a workguide extending to'thethroat, a container-near the entrance end of the guide, a chute extending from the exit end of the grinding throat and inclining downwardly to the container, and the chute having a movable section to facilitate access to the guide; substantially as described.

9. In apparatus of the character described, a bin having a plurality of compartments, a tray in each compartment, a spring urging each tray upwardly in its compartment, a chute leading to the bin, and means for mounting the bin for rotation to provide for delivery of articles from the chute to the trays in succession; substantially as described.

10. In apparatus of the character described, a rotary bin having a plurality of compartments, a guide casing projecting from the bottom of each compartment, a tray in each compartment, a plunger attached to each tray and movable in the casing, and a spring urging the tray upwardly; substantially as described.

11. In apparatus of the character described, a

rotary bin having a plurality of compartments, a guide casing projecting from the bottom of each compartment, a cap on each casing, a plunger attached to each tray and movable in the casing, and a coil spring surrounding the plunger and interposed between the cap and the tray; substantially as described.

12. In apparatus of the character described, a rotary bin having a plurality of compartments, a tray guided vertically in each compartment and having an inclined bottom with a drain opening, and a tank below said openings; substantially as described.

13. In apparatus of the character described, a

rotary bin having a plurality of compartments, 15

a tray guided vertically in each compartment and having an inclined bottom with a drain opening, a hollow plunger attached to the tray around the drain opening, and a tank below said bin and receiving the plungers; substantially as described. 20

EUGENE M. MARCI-IAND. 

